Playing cricket non-stop for last 48 months, I need rest: Virat Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli will not play the upcoming One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) against Sri Lanka. The Indian skipper had urged Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to grant him a break before the South Africa tour as he has been playing non-stop cricket.

During the post-match talk after the third and final Test match against Sri Lanka in New Delhi, Virat Kohli opened up about his much need break. He said:

Last time I took rest, it was difficult to handle. But my body is asking for it right now. The workload has been massive, I have been playing non-stop for the last 48 months, I need rest. My body has taken a toll in the last couple of years. Right now is the perfect time to rest before the tour of South Africa.

With Kohli being rested from ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka, the third Test match against Sri Lanka was his final match of 2017. Virat Kohli ends the 2017 year with 2818 international runs. This is the third-highest tally ever recorded in a calendar year.

The list is topped by former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara who scored 2868 runs in 2014 followed by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s 2833 in 2005.

Team India clinched the three-match Test series against the Lankans by 1-0. With this series win, Virat Kohli & Co equalled Australia and England’s winning streak of 9 Test series win on the trot. India have not lost a single Test series since August 2015.

Team India lost the chance to break the world record of most consecutive wins as Sri Lankans managed to save the final day. Chasing an improbable 410, a defiant Sri Lanka rode on Dhananjaya de Silva’s third Test century and debutant Roshen Silva’s unbeaten half-century to score 299/5, before both the captains decided to shake hands with seven overs to go before the mandatory close of play.

Team India will leave for South Africa on December 27 to play 3 Test matches, 6 ODIs and 3 T20Is, starting January 5, 2018.